Fisher and Paykel Washing Machine Repair
This washing machine is more complex than first thought. The other day, when my wife was doing a load of washing, it started to beep in an unusual fashion. 5 beeps every 6 seconds could be heard and then the machine would go into pause mode. Although I am an Automotive Electrician, we can use the same method of diagnosis, even though it is different equipment.
The LED lights that run during the different cycles gave a code. I was able to access a service manual on the internet, which directed me to the out of balance switch as having a fault.
(00101011) OOB Switch Fault
The zeros and ones correspond to the LEDs that are lit and ones that are not. The service manual showed how to enter the diagnostic mode and then test the switch by moving the tub from side to side. The 6 minute LED would illuminate when the switch was closed. This seemed to work fine. I decided to have a closer look at the switch and the lever it was attached to.
After asking my wife a few questions, the answer became clear. Some time ago, she had washed some cushions, but one started to fall apart during the cycle. Unfortunately, some of the cushion material had wrapped around the Out Of Balance lever, which become closer to the drum, therefore giving the SmartDrive system the false indication that the load was out of balance. Once the material was removed and all codes were retested and cleared, the washing machine was active once again.
Such a small thing can stop a big machine. I was also surprised that a washing machine could have such a complex system of codes and diagnostic paths. This is something we use in the Automotive industry, but I didn’t expect in a washing machine.
As I said……same diagnostic method, different equipment!
This article was prepared for you by Mark Rabone from Australia.
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You may check his previous repair article below:
https://www.jestineyong.com/pioneer-sm-700-amplifier-repair/
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Vasile Petrica
September 26, 2014 at 2:11 pm
I like all you posted to this moment.Big man,big success.
Yogesh Panchal
September 26, 2014 at 3:18 pm
well done keep up sharing article.
beh
September 26, 2014 at 4:26 pm
HI MARK: thank you so much for sharing your experience with us this is the first repair report of washing machine in this weblog.and hope to see more reports from you .
Mark
September 27, 2014 at 6:02 am
Thanks,
I thought since even washing machines have a diagnostic path to follow, it might be of interest. In the automotive electrical field, we deal with codes, schematics and computer diagnosis all the time, I was surprised to see even a washing machine about 15 years old has such a complex system.
So I guess the methods we use in the electronic field can be applied across many different areas.
Andre Gopee
September 26, 2014 at 10:34 pm
Hey Mark... If you really think about it everything works under the same principle. once you understand how it works you can fix it. Thanks for sharing.
Gerald
September 26, 2014 at 10:38 pm
Hi Mark,
Thanks for sharing. You are right about the diagnostic capabilities; those apparently simple devices have more computing power than the first mega computers that used to fill a whole building in the 40’s.
And many of them are connected to the Internet (“Internet Of Things”). It’s getting increasingly interesting.
Cheers,
GM
Humberto
September 26, 2014 at 11:25 pm
Good deductions, and explantions too. Congratulations.
Mike
September 27, 2014 at 4:59 am
I've got a Samsung front loader that has done a similar problem on spin I was in unawre that there's a diagnostic built in but now I can go to my Hanger and see if I get codes. This is great to have all of you giving your Knowledge for all of us to use !
Once again THANK ALL OF YOU FOR SHARING... Mike @ M&H AVIATION
Taofiki ishola Akinleye
September 27, 2014 at 2:01 pm
Thanks sir,please post more of such article.I love this.keep it up.
Tyrone
September 27, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Thanks Mark for sharing this article very good indeed.
raymundo saura
October 21, 2014 at 8:47 pm
thanks sir for sharing
Fred Finster
October 22, 2014 at 10:58 am
Quote "Andre Gopee
September 26, 2014 at 10:34 pm
Hey Mark... If you really think about it everything works under the same principle. once you understand how it works you can fix it. Thanks for sharing.".
Reminds me of a joke about electronics. All electronics work on the " SMOKE" principle, if you let the smoke escape out the electronics object, it quits working. Thank you, Jestine for this forum to share repair solutions, that help all electronic repair technicians around the world. Search for linuxliveusb.com on my blog, I wrote about downloading Linux ISO distributions and installing to a USB flash drive, then adjust the bios settings to boot from flash drive. Or hold the F12 boot menu key to select boot device of USB flash drive. Now you can test a PC or notebook, with out installing or modifying the hard drive. I suggest a puppylinux.org variety or slacko.01micko.com distro, because the both are small and load fully into dram memory, which makes it run very quickly. Give puppy Linux a try, could bring new life to an old windows XP computer.
Yes, maybe I could write an article about tube amplifier repair using general tube testing technics, to post in the future.
Again great to share trouble shooting technics about washing repair using internet found manual and led diagnostics display. Great pictures too! Using these cellphone cameras to capture pictures from under "The Hood" really adds to the information and description in these articles on Jestines site. Zero zero Bee. Means Out Of Balance, funny ✳✳‼
Fred Finster
October 22, 2014 at 11:53 am
.
This is the direct link to my blog post. With pupylinux or slacko puppy Linux in a USB flash drive. You can bring new useful life to an old windows XP computer. Wishing you good luck around the world in your electronic repairs.
Puppylinux is at version 5.7.1. And Slacko puppy Linux is at version 5.7 and working toward a 6.0 version.
Tiny core Linux is another version to look at. Search at. .